


Sometimes, All You Need Is Music

by Alynoxenfree



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Game Grumps AU, Siren!Dan, depression tw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:53:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23207284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alynoxenfree/pseuds/Alynoxenfree
Summary: Ever since Arin Hanson was a child, he lived in a village that believed that music was a curse and would bring bad luck and misfortune to their people. For Arin, however, music was his only solace, especially after Jon left him for better ventures in New York City.In comes Dan, a Siren who washes ashore after Arin accidentally plays music and causes a large storm to wreck against his seaside home. Dan is the perfect other half to Arin's comedic wit, and wants to bring music back to Arin's village.Maybe Arin has found his Not So Grump once and for all.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

As long as Arin could remember, the seaside village he grew up in was completely void of music. Not because everyone was talentless and unable to hold a tune; the town was completely and utterly convinced that music was a harbinger of doom and a curse to their livelihood. Legends from years of old told of times when pirates and other adventurers would land on the shores of the small village, singing songs and bringing large storms that wiped out the entirety of the village multiple times. It was too much of a risk for anyone in the modern age to spite their ancestors and cause another catastrophe, so music was banned. 

In the year 2020, this was absolutely a travesty for the younger members of the village, including 30 year old Arin Hanson. He grew up in the village but secretly surfed the web for music to go along with his own animations and drawing sessions. He didn’t believe the whole ridiculous ‘death to us all’ concept that the older town folk had adopted, and was seen as an outcast because of it. In order to pass the time and to bring some sort of joy to the younger generation of the village, he created Game Grumps: a two-man show where he played video games and was equipped with hilarious comedic commentary. He ran the whole business with an old friend of his from an online forum, Jon Jafari, who had moved to the village from New York City of all places to help him out. 

Of course, good things never last forever, and Jon soon left Arin to handle the business on his own. Arin was left to make his own jokes and his subscriber count quickly dwindled, causing him to sink into a deep depression and avoid everyone in the village for fear of being told that he was wrong all along and becoming a mockery of others. It was now, in the year 2020, that he was planning on moving away from the village and pursuing a career somewhere else; somewhere that actually allowed music and didn’t treat him like a black sheep. 

Arin currently sat on the dock attached to his large beach house, one he could only afford for one month longer after the income from Game Grumps had dwindled out. Most days he spent doodling or figuring out which state to inhabit next, trying to make a plan for himself. He lived with two other friends he met in his first year of College, Barry and Ross, but both could not afford the large beach house with their tiny, part-time income. Barry had majored in video game programming-which wasn’t a profitable career in the small seafaring village, and Ross was an small gig animator. Their wages weren’t enough to keep Arin’s dream afloat. 

Anger crossed his face as he slammed his sketchbook shut, his eyes focusing on the dwindling sunset. This wasn’t FAIR. He only stayed in this stupid village for THIS long because his parents lived here and he was trying to make them proud. He figured that if he got Game Grumps going, he would join his father’s fishing business on the side and would be able to juggle both responsibilities as well as live a fulfilling life. At this point, however, he didn’t want to return to his father’s business after the colossal failure he experienced when Jon left, and felt like a useless son. 

He decided that, since no one was around, he could at least softly play something on his Spotify playlist to calm his nerves. It wasn’t like anyone could hear him over on the dock, and Barry and Ross were currently out on errands, mainly gathering things for the big move. He decided to test it, turning on his favorite song: Kiss from a Rose by Seal. He pulled his headphones out of the audio jack and set the music on a softer volume, humming alongside it to rest his anxiety. When all else failed, music was his go-to, something he could rely on when everything else in his world was falling apart. He never understood why the people of his village hated it so much and considered it a threat. For him, it was his only solace. 

He sketched a bit, choosing to draw an old character he had developed for a series that never came into fruition. Mindless drawing was all he was good at in his eyes nowadays, for he had lost the actual desire to create anything worthwhile. After Jon left, there was no use in making the most of life. He had nothing left..nothing to salvage. Just a fragmented shell of a man with talent that was dwindling by the hour-

“ARIN!” 

Arin immediately snapped out of his mojo and switched off the music, his eyes wide as he realized that the waves were beginning to grow horribly large. He could hear Barry running out towards him and felt his hands on his back. His brain was numb, too absorbed by his intrusive thoughts to notice the growing storm that was approaching the village. Once again, he felt that immense wave of guilt fill the pit of his stomach, and the feeling of being a black sheep rose to the top of his mind. 

Now the townsfolk would really treat him with disdain. 

“I..I was just jamming out to some music, man..I didn’t realize..” Arin took a look back at the ocean, which was growing in height by the minute. 

“This isn’t just something we can brush off, Arin! I hope to GOD that you didn’t do too much damage…” Barry growled and pushed Arin away, clearly furious with him. He trudged across the sand to a nearby alarm, which was built in case a large sea storm was heading towards the village, and pulled it with such force that the siren increased in volume over the roaring waves. The sound, although normally piercing to the ears, did nothing to rouse Arin from his dreamlike, dreary state. 

“I thought you and Ross were still out shopping..” Arin was in a half-dream state, a bit frazzled since he didn’t figure that playing music would turn out to be an actual threat. He somewhat registered that Barry had steered him back into the beach house and up to his bedroom, where they would be safe if the area was flooded. 

“Of course, but we finished early. And then, I come outside to check on you and you're breaking the number one rule of this village!” Barry grimaced, head in his hands. “I know you want out of here, Arin..but there is no sense in taking everyone down with you.” 

“Oh, and since when did you care about that stupid rule, Bar?” Arin feels himself come back into the real world as anger replaces his depressive mood, his body hot and stuffy. “You act like you are all perfect, and are only leaving because there are job opportunities for you elsewhere. You want to leave this place just as badly as I do!” 

“Can you two children shut the hell up?” Ross climbed the staircase towards the two men with a flashlight and a bowl of popcorn. “This is the perfect weather for a movie night, and it won’t be that bad of a storm. I’m from Australia..I know what water looks like when it’s fierce. This? Just a tiny mishap.” 

“Please, don’t downplay this, Ross. Arin has to know what he did was wrong, and he could have caused bigger damage. Don’t forget, our families still live here!” Barry grabbed a handful of popcorn and chewed it down with such intensity that Ross flinched inwardly.

“It’s not THAT bad. Here, I got a copy of Starship Troopers from the Family Video down the street. Can we just chill and watch some Clancy Brown action? We can fight later.” Ross, always the mediator, popped the disk in the CD player and sat down. 

Arin avoided Barry’s gaze as he sat down, his mind only on settling his nerves as the movie began. He grabbed a fistful of popcorn and began mindlessly eating, and he tried to focus his attention on the movie. Every now and then, however, he found his mind racing and worried that maybe this wouldn’t be a normal fight like friends usually had. He was terrified that Barry would leave him like Jon, and then Ross would follow after, like some sort of Australian lapdog. He would be left alone as always, left to fend for himself until his brain gave up on itself.

He was stuck in this train of thought until a soft male voice filled his thoughts, erasing all of his doubts and inhibitions. Suddenly, the movie wasn’t so interesting anymore, and all he could think about was how beautiful the singing voice was, and how happy it would be if he came down and joined it. 

“What the hell man? You don’t need to pause the movie to go piss. You’ve seen this one a million times!” Ross grumbled, and Arin realized that he had paused the movie in his trance. 

“No..dude I heard something. It sounded like someone singing. Did no one else hear it?” Arin took a deep breath, checking the faces of his friends as they looked at him with concern. He let them sit in silence before all of them heard the soft voice, and immediately Ross jumped up from his spot and dashed to the window, pulling the blinds up to check for the source of the sound. His eyes scanned the entirety of the beach, looking for any signs of life.

“The heck is that?” Barry jumped up and immediately looked to Arin’s phone. “You playing music again? Dude, we just talked about this!” 

“ME? We are immediately gonna blame it on me? That’s low, Barry, even for you-” 

“SHUT UP” Ross quipped back to both of them, listening to the voice as his eyes grew ten times their size. “Arin’s right, it does sound like someone is singing..maybe someone is in trouble out there?” 

“The hell? You think I’m going to go out there?” Barry motioned towards the raging wind and rain, a look of disbelief spread across his face. “You are nuts.” 

“Someone in trouble? Why would anyone even be out there in this?” Arin’s curiosity took over his sense of self-perseverance, and he found himself with his old fishing coat in his hands; he took notice of how tight it had become over the past few months. “I caused this..I gotta go check it out.” 

“Woah, you aren’t going out in this, Arin. You may have caused it, yes, but the idiot who is out there in it has to deal with that on his own. We can’t lose you.” Barry found himself blocking Arin’s way, arms outstretched in a pitiful attempt to block his friend from exiting the safety of the beach house. Arin was shocked that Barry even still cared about him after the row they just had, but then again, Barry had been there from the beginning. It wasn’t like him to give up on Arin after all they had been through. 

“Barry, I have to go. What if it’s a kid or something? I can’t leave a kid out there to die.” 

Ross and Barry both exchanged looks of worry, and then looked back towards Arin. Without speaking, Ross grabbed a large weather blanket from the closet and a first aid kit. “I’m going with you, Arin. I’ll follow behind and we can help the person back into the house. Maybe call the ambulance to get them medical help.

Arin nodded, and looked to Barry. “Fine. Ross and I will go out and check. If we aren’t back in thirty minutes or less-” Arin tossed a walkie talkie at Barry. “Call the police. No hesitation. Don’t come out looking for us, either.” 

Barry sighed deeply, showing his displeasure in the situation, but he knew that Arin was right. What if they found someone dead in their yard the next day but never bothered to help? It would be on all of their consciences, and Barry didn’t know how much more Arin could take. “You can count on me. I’ll make sure to radio you every two minutes to check your progress. Do NOT ignore me. If you do, I may have to come out there and fish you both out of the water.” 

Arin suppressed a smirk and patted Barry on the back as he followed Ross downstairs towards the front door. He could already hear the roar of the wind and felt a chill crawl down his spine, but he still had to do this. There was no way he would let someone die out there alone. His friends had been there for him multiple times when he felt like he was falling off the deep end. 

The rain was fierce and hurt when it made contact with Arin’s skin, but he knew he couldn’t give up now. Maybe this would be his saving grace? Something that would make the town love him again and his family would accept him with open arms. 

He had to take that first step.


	2. Arin Hanson, You Idiot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin finds something different washed upon his shore. Is it a blessing or a curse?

Saltwater burned Arin’s retinas as he trudged through the wet sand, his only indication of where he was heading being Ross’s voice, which could barely be heard over the roar of the sea. He used his left hand to shield what he could of his face, and his right carried the first aid kit, in case they found anyone who needed help. Maybe this was a terrible idea, and maybe they were all just crazy and never heard anything at all. 

What Arin would do for that sentiment to be true. He would rather go crazy than have to continue moving through the horrid storm, which seemed to be building intensity as he followed Ross towards the voice they had heard. This was too dangerous for them to be out here; maybe they should have called the professionals to search the beach. 

Or maybe, this was the opportunity Arin needed. Since when was he able to be the hero, other than in the video games he played on Game Grumps? It was almost too good to be true, and it would give him a bit of an upper hand once his story spread around town. Maybe his neighbors would finally accept him and would bring him into their circle; maybe his parents would be proud of him and he could join his father's fishing service once again, and make a living out of that. Maybe this was his knight in shining armor, some sort of gift from God. Sure, he made a mistake and caused the storm, but that could be overlooked, couldn't it? Especially if he saved a child from the raging waters and risked his life doing it...and he almost trampled the very thing they had set out to find. 

Before Arin could dwindle on that thought a bit longer, the only good thought he had formed in the last couple of months, he felt his foot hit something that most definitely was not a rock or a piece of coral. 

"SHIT." Arin stumbled over a grown man, one who had curly black hair and large facial features. From his rather quick first examination, Arin noticed that the man was bleeding profusely from his head and seemed to be groaning in pain while softly singing. It seemed as if the man knew that by singing, someone eventually would come to his rescue or it would gather enough attention that someone would stumble upon him sooner or later. Before Arin could motion for Ross to come near and prepare the blanket, however, he noticed the lower half of the man before him.

It wasn't human. 

"HOLY-" Arin covered his mouth as his eyes dashed over the man's long fish-like appendage, aquamarine in color and covered in scales that were iridescent even in the gloomy storm. His tail was injured as well, cuts up and down the sides of the scales. Arin took a moment to look back at Ross, who wore the same expression of fear and confusion, and then back at the inhuman creature. "S..Should we..should we help it?" 

"Of course we should help it!" Ross yelled over the storm, shaking himself out of his terrified funk and his hands prepping the blanket. "That's what we came out to do, wasn't it?" 

"Yes but..not for..NOT FOR THIS?" Arin looked back down at the fish-man and sighed, realizing that he would have to do something for it. It was groaning in pain and bleeding badly, and Arin could not leave him to die. There was no way he could live that down, not while his conscience was already blighted. "Fine. Give me the blanket." 

Ross threw the blanket over at Arin and with careful precision, Arin lifted the creature off of the sand, cradling it like it was some sort of baby. He didn't know any other way to hold on to it, and realized that even though the creature was much taller than him, it was relatively lightweight. "Ross, radio Barry and let him know to open the back door. We need to get him inside and warmed up." 

“Aye aye, cap’tain!” Ross giggled and radioed Barry quickly as Arin took a moment to look over the creature in his arms. He noticed the curls in the creature’s hair, and how he had a light dusting of scales on his cheeks and upper shoulders. He noticed that the creature had an olive skin tone and a bend in his nose, and looked relatively human..other than the tail. Arin was almost mesmerized by that thing, for it looked like something he had seen in a children’s storybook before. Something that came straight out of the ‘Little Mermaid’ or something of that nature.

The Little Mermaid. Holy SHIT. It was a Merman. 

Arin found himself giggling at the silliness of it all. NOW he KNEW he was dreaming. There was no way he found an ACTUAL merman on his beach..that kind of luck would never happen to him. There was no way that he would get such a gift..such a prize..

How much would a merman cost? He could probably sell it off to some museum or something of that vein. He could make enough money to stay in the beach house and to kickstart Game Grumps once again. He could pay someone to work alongside him and become his ‘Not so Grump’, and he could finally forget about Jon and how he betrayed him, how he left him for his own gain and didn’t care how it made Arin feel-

But..would it be ethical? Would it be right? He didn’t know what a museum or the government would do to a creature like the one sitting in his hands. What if they would hurt it badly and use it for testing? He couldn’t let that happen, not when he already felt like he was a mistake to the world as it was. If he was the reason someone died, well, that would be it. That would be the last straw before Arin gave up completely.

As Arin sat there pondering his morality, the merman’s eyes shot open, and it immediately started to speak in a different language. The wind began to silence itself, and Ross and Arin stared at the merman in horror as he seemed to be controlling the storm. 

“שחרר אותי, או שאני אהרוס את הארץ הזאת ואת כל מה שאתה מחבב לך יקר!” The merman spoke with ferocity, twisting back and forth as it tried to escape. Arin found himself grabbing the merman’s shoulders, rubbing them softly to try to calm him down. Surprisingly, the movement did just that, and the merman began to relax into Arin’s kneading. 

“There..there..just..calm down dude..or..girl? Man, I don’t know, I don’t know how these things work. Just..we aren’t here to harm ya, okay?” Arin spoke in a calming tone, and the merman set his eyes on him immediately, the warm brown tones seeming to look through Arin’s soul and back. 

“A..Arin? We need to radio Barry. We have to get it back inside before someone sees us... “ Ross snapped Arin out of the odd trance-like state he was beginning to enter, and he pulled out the radio. “Barry? Can you open the back door?” 

“Did you hear the wind stop?! What is going on out there? You guys need to get back inside!” Barry’s worried voice came at high volume through the radio, and Ross had to turn down the volume knob a couple of notches to keep his ears from bleeding. 

“Yes, we heard it. Can you please open the back door? Get a couch ready with blankets. We..found something.” 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“T..We found him on the beach, man. He was bleeding and I..we couldn’t leave him out there.” Arin began telling Barry, his hands still kneading into the merman’s back to keep him calm. The storm had ceased completely upon bringing the merman inside, and it led to Barry wanting answers.   
“So, you find a literal CREATURE on the beach, one that probably needed to go back into the abyss it came from, and you BRING IT INTO THE HOUSE?” 

“I suggested it, Barry. The poor thing was dying out there-you would have done the same. You can’t sit here and act like you would leave it to die out there, Mr. I Care About All Animals.” Ross quipped back immediately, and Arin realized that Ross was willing to fight tooth and nail to get Barry to help the creature. It was endearing, and made Arin realize that he did have friends who would stand up for him if need be. 

“I don’t know what I would have done. I just know that soon we are going to have the men in black at our door, ready to throw us in handcuffs and jail us for life..or wipe our memories clean!” Barry’s voice raised in volume, and Arin could tell the other man was nervous. He knew Barry didn’t mean to be inconsiderate at this moment. He was afraid, just like Arin had been moments before. 

Now, Arin wasn’t sure what to think. Sure, there was a creature that was SUPPOSED to be fictional in their living room, laying on the couch with it’s attentive eyes flickering back and forth, taking in the conversation. For some reason, however, Arin didn’t feel afraid. Maybe the merman was using its mind powers to make Arin complacent, but that didn’t seem to be the case. The merman seemed lost and confused, not a threat that would warrant government interference. 

“Wow, you are seriously downplaying my intelligence.” 

Immediately Arin felt something in his head, pulling his thoughts and understanding them. He looked to the merman and noticed that not once had his mouth moved, and his friends weren’t phased by the sudden voice. The merman had intruded into his thoughts and was speaking to him telepathically. Not cool. 

~You seem to be the only level-headed person here, so of course I chose to speak to you. I could feel that you were trustworthy immediately when we made contact, but chose not to say anything.~

Arin had lost his mind. While Barry and Ross fought with each other, he looked to the merman, noticing the slight smirk he had on his face. Anger built up in the pit of his stomach, and he decided to speak back using the weird telespeak the merman had started with him. 

~Okay, well, I can do it too, so there! Since you want to be all secretive and speak through only my brain, who the hell are you? What..what the hell are you?~ Arin spoke through his head, causing the merman to raise his eyebrow in surprise. 

~My name is Leigh Daniel Avidan, but call me Danny. I’m a siren..what does it look like I am?~ 

~Don’t get smart with me. Moments ago, I didn’t even think your kind existed! You have to give me a bit of a break, wise guy.~ Arin immediately responded, not wanting the Siren to have the best of him. 

~Whatever dude. Mind introducing yourself?~ The siren’s gaze began to soften, and Arin could tell he was putting up a front to seem menacing. Before he could respond to ‘Danny’, Ross and Barry had now noticed the facial expressions the two were making towards each other. 

“Uh..what the hell, Arin? Are you trying to intimidate him or something?” Barry raised one eyebrow. “You look like you're doing some weird facial dance..”

“Nuh uh! He started it! He started speaking to me, in my head!” Arin soon realized how crazy that sounded, but was pleasantly surprised when the two took it as fact. Then again, there was a fictional creature laying before them, so nothing was too hard to believe at this point. 

“Speak, foul beast!” Ross tried to be as intimidating as he could towards Danny, but the merman giggled intensely, his voice melodic and calming. “W..why are you laughing at me?” 

“Dude, you are clearly not that scary. Might as well drop the act.” Barry quipped back, a smirk forming on his own face. “Maybe he only wants to speak to Arin. Maybe we will have to wait until he trusts us to hear him talk.” 

That could be a possibility. Arin looked to the merman for an answer, but noticed Danny was beginning to drift off to sleep. The loss of blood was starting to get to him and even though he was bandaged, it would be a long while before he was fully healed. Before Dan could drift too far off into dreamland, however, Arin decided to answer his question. 

“My name is Arin, Arin Hanson. Welcome to the Grump household.”


	3. Learn to be Human too

Danny awoke the next morning to find himself wrapped in blankets and bandages, a warm bowl of soup sitting on the table across from him as light filtered in through the large window. His fin, while still too damaged to aid him in swimming away from the beach house began to appear somewhat better than the day before.

In all honesty, he wanted to leave as soon as it was possible to do so. The tenants of the house seemed nice enough not to turn him in to the authorities, but his mother always warned him as a child to only put your trust in those you have known for years, not minutes. He was at a loss, especially since Arin seemed... interesting.

Danny had never had friends while living in the sea. He was always expected to be much more mature than his peers and hold upmost authority and respect. It didn't help his social life that he was next on the royal throne to rule the ENTIRE ocean. Other mermaids and mermen were intimidated by him.

Arin seemed different. Of course he didn't know about his royal status and they were two different species, but unbeknownst to Arin, Dan had been watching him for a while before he washed up on shore. A year ago after a particularly rough fight with his father, Danny ran away to go examine the humans of the small seaside village.

Being that it was the middle of the night, Danny was only expecting to see some couples and the occasional drunk. What he saw instead was Arin, sitting on the dock, singing. 

Dan knew the village had been one that was void of music, so it was quite a shock for him to come upon a singing human. Immediately he was enraptured, for the human had decent pitch and seemed to be the only one willing to defy the law of the village. Like Dan, he was an outcast, frowned upon by his family and his people. 

He was alone.

"Oh, your awake! I thought you would sleep another couple of days..." Arin entered the room with a small cup of coffee and a bagel. "I hope you are feeling better.."

"To answer your question, I don't feel much of anything...did you give me some sort of numbing potion?" Dan could barely feel the weight of his tail and had grown worried while he reminisced.

"Uh..well..not a potion. Some pain medication, though. I slipped it in while you slept. Thought it would help you heal." Arin raised his hands in defense. "I didn't poison you, dude, if that's what your asking."

"Didn't assume that. Just making sure you are worthy of being trusted." Dan sighed and noticed Arin stared at his tail with rapt interest. "This is going to be a common trend, huh big cat?"

Arin immediately snapped out of his senses and looked at Dan with an angry fire in his eyes. The only person who had ever called him Big Cat was Jon..and it was only reserved for him. "No. It's not going to be a common trend. You mind tellin' me how the hell you know of that nickname?"

"I used my mermaid magic." Dan smirked and wiggled his arms. "No, seriously, that's what your old friend used to call you. I've been watching your village for a while now."

"Nice, I saved a potential stalker. Maybe I should throw you back in the ocean." Arin looked angry, forgetting his intrigue with Dan's fishy extremities and instead he focused on Dan's knowledge of his life. "What do you mean watching?"

"My family has lived in this side of the ocean for decades due to the warmer climate. I happened upon your town one night and you immediately caught my interest. Wonder why I so happened to be on your shore? I trusted you."

"Me? Why would you trust me?" Arin looked away for a moment, seemingly saddened. "My parents don't even trust me to run their business anymore, and my friends think I'm some sort of fragile doll that must be protected. You..you don't even know me?"

"True, but I know a little bit. I can sense you are genuine, unlike many other humans. That's why I gravitated towards you when I got injured in the storm. I knew you wouldn't turn me in."

"Oh, you just knew? I could have been a terrible person who wanted to serve you as the village's next delicacy! Just by watching a person doesn't mean you are an expert in who they are."

Dan was caught there. He knew a bit about Arin's life, like how Jon left the house for bigger and better things and that Arin was a black sheep, but..that was it. Maybe he was protecting himself on the younger male a little too much?

"Fair point. But you have to admit..you didn't harm me, and for that I am eternally grateful. You aren't like most humans in that retrospect." 

Arin breathed in and nodded. "Your welcome dude. There was no way I was gonna let you die out there or get spearheaded by the government for scientific testing. Do you think people like me get these once in a lifetime chances multiple times? Not at all! I'm lucky to still be here."

Dan chuckled at that. "As am I. Now I just have to find a way back home."

Arin looked forlorn. It wasn't like he didn't want Dan to go back home so he could return to his normal life..but he enjoyed what little time they had so far together. There was no way he was going to let Dan leave so easily..and unfortunately, the only way to get him to stay was to make it supremely difficult for Dan to leave with an empty conscience. It was cruel, yes, to keep Dan in the village with Arin because he wanted someone new, but it wasn't like Dan was going to stay there of his own free will. 

"Uh, dude? How are you going to get back to the water? You kinda..uh..no offense..were heavy to bring in here."

"I have a way to make legs, human. I can use those to get back to the water. I can't walk very well, but it's all I have." Dan sighed. 

"M..maybe..maybe you could stay. Just for a little while. I helped you..maybe you could help me."

Dan could not believe was Arin was trying to say. He had to get back HOME. He had a kingdom to run and while Arin didn't know this, he was being selfish. 

But...Arin did save him. He did owe him something in return for what Arin did for him. He didn't have to brave the storm to save Dan's ass. 

"Help you? Help you with what?"

"Be my not so grump. I'm out of a second player and in order for me to stay here in this village and for you to keep stalking me, I need to bring my YouTube channel back to it's former glory. I need income, man." Arin seemed desperate, grasping at straws. Why did he think Dan would even want to stay in the human world to help him with his pathetic channel? Why did he think anyone would want to help? He was being too selfish, only wanting Dan to stay because he seemed to relatable and so genuine. 

"Your..not so grump? What does that mean?"

"I am the host of a video game playing channel called Game Grumps. I ran it with Jon before he left for New York, and we made pretty good money until it all fell apart. I need a partner to bring the channel back up..and I feel with your sass, we could really be a strong comedic duo." 

"I..don't know a thing about video games, Arin." Dan began to protest, growing irritated but also intrigued by the possibility. "I couldn't play with you. People would hate how bad I am!"

"You don't have to play. You can sit alongside me and help me crack jokes. We can make a good team. What do you say?" 

"You did save my life.." Dan pondered for a moment and looked out the window towards the ocean, missing it so but realizing this would be the only time he would be able to adventure without his parents being involved. 

"Alright. Where do I start?"


	4. A frightening flashback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an Instagram!!! @Amandalynarts

"Okay first off dude, you're going to have to somehow lose the tail."

Arin sat in his maroon-colored living room with a beer in his hand, his mind only on successfully integrating Dan into society so he can help Game Grumps thrive. Arin never suspected that he had to work with an unruly, sassy Merman, but pickers can't be choosers. It wasn't as if everyday someone came to Arin practically begging to join the failed venture. 

When Danny showed interest in actually helping Arin with Game Grumps for a short while, Arin was flabbergasted. It had been years since he had worked alongside someone who had enough wit to match his own (sorry, Ross), and the prospect of having another comedic genius by his side renewed his faith in himself and his finances. 

Of course, it was quite the challenge to teach Dan how to be human. The merman barely knew anything about human culture and had outright refused to find some way to hide his tail, which wouldn't do. If anyone outside of the house saw Dan, he would surely be carted off by the Men in Black and tested on like a lab rat. Arin was convinced that Dan didn't understand the full consequences he would receive if the village found out he was a Siren. 

"Lose the tail? You want me to lose my tail to get human legs? Why can't we just say I'm wheelchair bound and cover my legs with a thick blanket?" Dan seemed agitated over Arin's request, but what if someone removed the blanket by accident? There were too many things that could go wrong. 

"Dude, I don't own a wheelchair, secondly, you can use whatever voodoo merman powers you have and create yourself a pair of legs. It will make life easier for you in the long run, for without legs you won't have your independence." Arin stated proudly with confidence. "You will be stuck with only me to push you anywhere you want to go. Judging by your personality, that's not ideal."

Dan refused to answer but knew Arin was right. There was no way he could go out and expect people to believe that he was human if he kept the tail and didn’t want to learn anything from Arin. He hated to admit it, but he needed Arin’s help if he didn’t want to be captured by government agents and experimented on..like Brian used to warn him about..

Brian was Dan’s first human friend. They met when Brian rowed out of the small village to the middle of the sea, hoping to deep sea fish. Of course, Dan was around the area and was snagged by a hook, which led to the two meeting and becoming good friends. Brian was a small-town musician who wanted to someday make it to L.A. so he could support his wife and newborn and raise enough money to send his daughter to college. He was the first human Dan had ever met, and the only one he cared to meet. 

Dan didn’t really want to remember what had happened; that fateful night that Dan got too absorbed in his friend’s life and didn’t want him to leave to L.A. without him. He begged Brian to stay or at least to find some way to bring him along, and proved his talent to Brian by singing for the first time around him.

Fatal mistake. 

Sirens are beautiful, astounding creatures, but also extremely dangerous. Their voices cast a spell on a human brain and cause them to drown themselves in order to find the source of the angelic song. When Dan sang to try to convince Brian that he was worthy of traveling with him, he accidentally caused Brian to go into a trance. 

He tried to stop Brian..he really did. The magic was much more powerful than Dan’s frantic attempts to pull Brian back to shore. As the waves became rocky and the current grew strong, he had to watch his best friend, his rock, the only thing that meant anything to him in his pathetic life- 

Thrash and drown in front of him in the very water he had tried so hard to escape from. 

“D...an? Hey, dude? You are zoning on me!” 

Arin’s concerned voice jolted Dan back to reality and he felt pain in his chest from the horrid memory. He hated when his brain betrayed him and his thoughts drifted back to Brian...it only reminded him how he should nevermore get too close to another human if possible. 

He couldn’t be friendly to Arin. He couldn’t become friends with him and he certainly couldn’t fall in love. It would mean Arin’s death, and he couldn’t handle another’s blood on his hands once more. He couldn’t handle watching another person fall victim to his monstrous charm. 

That’s what he was. A monster. 

“I’m fine. Can’t you see I was busy thinking?” Dan comes off abrupt and rude, his main goal to steer Arin away from him. Sure, they could be business partners, and sure, he could help Arin with Game Grumps all he wanted, but there was no way they could be anything more than that. 

“Oh, yes, I could tell you were zoning out when more important things need to be discussed! You are going to get cabin fever stuck in this house, so you have to learn how to walk.” Arin growled in discontent, angry that Dan was being rash with him. This was going to be more difficult than he had previously assumed. 

“Ah, important things. Listen, human, I’m only helping you because I feel obligated to. I suppose I could grow legs, but you cannot think this is going to be anything more than a business partnership. Deal?” 

Arin’s face twisted in confusion, a bit angry. He figured Dan would soon become friends with him; maybe he had high hopes, and a blurred vision of the future. Arin was likable, right? Besides, if this was going to work, Dan had to go along with his comedic timing and like him. He couldn’t expect the whole thing to be stale and professional...right? 

“I..d..deal?” 

“Perfect.” Dan nodded and sang in Hebrew, his tailfin transforming into two long legs with a light speckle of scales on his feet and knees. It wasn’t until his transformation was done that Arin screamed in pure embarrassment, and Dan felt a smirk spread across his face. 

“DUDE You gotta get some clothes on! I didn’t mean go full naked in front of me! God..God dammit!” Arin covered his eyes and began to feel around for a t-shirt, hoping it would be enough to cover the taller man’s body. “YOU KNEW you would be naked, didn’t you!?” 

“Maybe I did, but it was worth seeing your reaction, human.” 

Arin tossed the t-shirt over Dan’s middle and growled. “My name is ARIN. Not Human. Give me at least that respect. Besides, you showed me your dick, dude, we are on a first name basis now.” 

“Fair enough, A-RON.” Dan smirked, determined to become unlikeable so they wouldn’t become close. “We can start human lessons tomorrow. For now, I’m going to bed.” 

And with that, the merman left a stunned Arin behind, who was trying to figure out what exactly just happened-

And why he suddenly felt a blush creep across his face.


	5. Seaman's Legs

Arin was undoubtedly determined to get the stubborn merman to at least try to appear..normal, despite the creature’s complaints and downright stubborn attitude. It was difficult to deal with him on a day to day basis, but something had sparked in Arin, almost as if he was enjoying Dan’s company even though it would have been considered abhorrent and detestable by others. Arin supposed that he enjoyed the challenge of ‘taming’ Dan, for it gave him something to focus on rather than his crippling day-to-day depression. 

Arin knew Dan wasn’t all that bad. He could tell that something was bothering him, and that something was causing their relationship to strain. Dan and Arin couldn’t become friends because Dan was trying so hard to stop that from happening. It was as if Dan didn’t want to be happy, and in return allow Arin to be happy. There were moments where Dan would crack a joke and the two would laugh, giving Arin false hope that Dan was finally opening up, only to become serious again and closed off. Arin would try so hard to bring Dan out of his shell, whether it be tripping him while he learned to walk, cracking terrible dad jokes, or just trying out various cartoon voices to make him break. Dan wasn’t willing to come out of his shell and give Arin a chance. 

“Listen, you can’t bring up anything about the ocean that scientists haven’t already discovered. If you start talking about a fish that no one has ever heard of, someone’s going to think you're odd and you may draw too much attention.” Arin warned him over a bowl of cereal, the only thing that was left in Arin’s house to eat. “Also, stop acting like you are high and mighty over everyone. That will get you beaten up by some rando on the street.” 

“So what if I am high and mighty?” Dan looked up from the newest issue of Rolling Stone, his eyes narrowed in an attempt to appear intimidating to Arin. “There is a food chain, Arin, and I happen to be at the top of it.” 

“Well, if you don’t wanna get kidnapped by the FBI, then I wouldn’t act so weird.” Arin shrugged, spooning Cheerios in his mouth as he sighed. He was getting nowhere with his lessons, and Dan was very up front about how much he hated all of this. “Why are you even still here? If you hate all of this so much, why did you bother helping me? You could have gone back.” 

“You don’t understand. If a human helps a merman, they are INDEBTED to them. There’s no way I had a choice, unfortunately, and it’s been...quite fun to watch you struggle.” 

Arin felt pain in his chest and depression spread throughout his body, his head on fire from the mix of emotions. “This is all a joke to you, isn’t it?” 

“It’s not a joke. It’s entertainment, yes, but the good intent is still there. I want to help you.” 

“You don’t seem to want to help me at all. Why don’t you stop lying and actually do something? Actually put an effort in so I can take you out in public? There’s so much I want to show you dude..so much I want to do. You would have a blast in the main city…” 

Dan was torn. He had worked so hard to pull himself as far away as he could from Arin, to become so detached there was no way any emotions could creep into his brain or even worse, his heart. Arin broke all of his barriers, and Dan found himself wanting to see the city, wanting to go and explore. It reminded him so much of his time with Brian, when they would explore nearby seaside towns and drink. 

Dan never gave himself the chance to forgive and forget. He never gave himself the chance to take up on a new offer and become happy again. His kingdom was falling apart because he was left to sulk in his room 24/7 and his people were afraid that he would die of starvation or neglect soon enough. He didn’t feel like doing anything ever since Brian died, and it was hurting himself and others in his life. Maybe..maybe he should give Arin a chance. 

“I..admit I haven’t been trying my best..and I would like to see the big city.” Dan found his words slowly, his main focus to approach the situation with caution. He wasn’t sure how much he should tell Arin, let alone if he should open himself up at all. “All I really need to do is learn how to walk, right? That shouldn’t be too difficult.” 

Arin sighed in relief, glad that his efforts weren’t being put to waste. “Y..Yeah, it won’t be. I suggest we start on the sand though..that way you don’t fall and break something.” 

“Sand it is, then.” 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dan regretted everything immediately when he touched the sand on his own. 

His legs, long and lankier than he remembered, were bow-legged and didn’t provide any support to Dan’s body. He couldn’t balance himself on the uneven terrain, and after a few pitiful steps, he found himself eating sand. “This isn’t going to work, Arin.” 

“You haven’t given it your best college try!” Arin smiled and gave Dan a thumbs up, and then when he noticed Dan was unable to lift himself off the ground, he charged over and easily lifted the taller man with ease. “You have to balance the weight on both feet. You can’t hobble on one foot and expect to move.” 

“You make it look easy. Do you know how clumsy these appendages are?” Dan groaned as he tripped again; luckily he catched himself before he could eat dirt again. He sighed in annoyance and looked to Arin for help. “I’m thinking we should go back to the wheelchair idea.” 

“That’s a quitter’s attitude!” Arin crossed the sand over to Dan, ready to try a different approach. “Okay, let's do this instead.” Without hesitation Arin grabbed Dan’s arms and held his upper body, positioned his legs where his body weight was evenly distributed, and put Dan’s feet on top of his own. “I’ll walk, and you feel the movements. Just ride, baby.” 

“Uhhhhh..sure? Not sure how this will change anything.” 

“You have to get used to the muscle movement of walking. By standing on my feet, your legs will get used to the sensation. It’s how my father taught me how to walk.” Arin could remember a time when his father looked at him with pride and not disdain. 

“You mean you haven’t always been able to walk? I thought humans were born walking!” Dan was dead serious and not sarcastic at all, his eyes lit up with wonder. Arin had never seen Dan appear so soft and unguarded. 

“Yeah dude, you think we came out the fuckin’ pussy running like Usain Bolt? Naw, we had to learn, just like you are now.” Arin began to take small steps, noticing how Dan gripped his hands in fear that he was going to fall. As Arin tilted just a tad bit, Dan gripped harder, causing Arin to laugh in delight. He liked seeing the Siren’s hard exterior fall, bit by bit. 

“I thought you had way more talent in you!” Dan smiled and let out a chuckle, leaning up against Arin for support in his walking adventure. Soon he felt his feet leave Arin’s and he began to move on his own, slowly but surely. By the end of the night, Dan could comfortably move on his own two feet at a decent pace, one that surely needed improvement, but wouldn’t take long to master. “Maybe this walking thing isn’t so bad?” 

“Maybe not. But you’ll have to teach me how to swim in return for me teaching you how to walk.” Arin hated to admit that as the son of a fishing tribe he couldn’t swim, but he had never felt the need to learn how. Now with a siren as a friend, he wanted to be able to visit him if he ever did leave. 

“Sounds like a deal. Just don’t get waterlogged and you’ll be f-FIII- '' Dan tripped over a rock, falling forward until Arin dashed and caught him in a dip. The two looked up at each other, their eyes wide and a tomato red blush spreading across their cheeks. Dan found himself breaking the pose and he backed away quickly. “M..Maybe we can learn water lessons tomorrow..it’s getting really late and I..uhmm..gotta go to bed! That’s right! Bedtime! It’s what humans do…” 

“Y..Yeah. Sleep sounds good, dude.” Arin yawned and began back towards the house, but not before he noticed that Dan wasn’t following him. “Uh..you gonna sleep in the ocean or back at my place?” 

Dan felt a blush creep down his neck. “I..the ocean. I miss the waves..ya know?” 

“Sure. I know.” Arin began again, but remembered one last thing. “Dan?” 

“Yes?” 

“Thanks for..you know..actually putting an effort in...and being nice to me. I don’t have a lot to give but..it means everything to me that you care.” 

Dan smiled as his tail reformed and he leaped in the water, resurfacing only to smile at Arin and bid him goodnight. 

“Of course, Big Catfish. Good night.”


	6. A Chance to Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A NEW CHALLENGER EMERGES

Miles away from the mainland shore, out in the middle of the ocean, was an island that was protected by magic to keep prisoners from escaping. To an outsider the island would appear like a mirage, and if human boats were to venture too close to it, it would disappear in preservation of Mer-Kind. There was only one prisoner currently trapped on the island due to the severity of his crimes…

A person who was dead set on escaping as soon as possible to take over the throne and regain power over the entire ocean. 

Inside of an inland cave, iridescent lights coated the stone walls and filled the room with an eerie glow. In the middle of the cave, in a pool of water that unfortunately did not lead to the ocean, sat a merman with a long black tail and dark hair. He had almond brown eyes and olive skin, and looked with intent at the vision that appeared before him in the water below. He could see Dan’s retreating figure and smirked, pleased at this vision.

He now knew where his King was, and it definitely wasn’t within the protection of the Melodiori clan’s magical barriers. 

Now why would the KING, who was undoubtedly the most protected individual in the entire ocean (next to the sharks, who weren’t bothered due to their sheer size and sharp teeth) be within the sight of the dangerous surface world, conversing with a middle aged human in an area he was forbidden to go? This intrigued the trapped merman, and his mind wracked around for an explanation. The last time the King left the comforts of his own home for the human world, there was a grave accident that left one human drowned. 

He supposed it didn’t matter WHY the King was outside of his realm, for it provided the trapped merman ample room to enact his revenge. Without the magical barrier that protected the King from enemy magic protecting him, the merman could make his move and murder Dan. With Dan out of the way, the merman could steal the throne and enact his own rule across the entire ocean, an idea that seemed to promise fruitful visions and rewards. 

With an abrupt swish of his tail, a new vision replaced the sky view of Dan’s retreating form, allowing two figures to emerge in the rippling waves. One of the figures was tall, with light brown hair and a shiny silver tail. He seemed to be the dominant figure in the group, with a strong disposition. The other was shorter and stout, with a light freckling of facial hair on his chin and gorgeous hazelnut eyes. His tail was a dark brown with flecks of gold at the base. The trapped merman maliciously smirked at their arrival, for his two favorite goons had answered his call almost immediately. It was nice to know they responded when needed. 

“Sir? What do you need?” Matt tested the waters first, a bit afraid that the trapped merman was mad at them both for not contacting sooner. He seemed to be a ball of jittery energy, as if he was hiding a great secret. No doubt Matt had known about the King’s little escapade way before the trapped merman, for Matt and Ryan lived nearby the palace and were privy to public affairs. 

“Oh, what do I need? Well, someone forgot to mention that our little King has escaped the palace magical barrier. Mind telling me why you’ve neglected to share that tiny fact?” The merman responded in a soothing baritone voice, and tapped his fingers together in anticipation of a response. 

“Escaped the-” Ryan hit the realization that Matt and the trapped Merman had already deducted, and noticed the angry expression on his boss’s face. “O...h. We just found out that today, sir. Apparently he’s been skipping home for a bit now.” 

“So how exactly did you find out?” The trapped merman responded, intrigued. “With what little magic I have, I was able to conjure a vision. Surely you both are near and DEAR to the castle and heard something from the late King and Queen?” 

“Well..yeah, but they didn’t announce it until the King didn’t show up for a royal celebration. I heard his father mutter something about skipping town for a human?” Ryan responded and folded his arms. “Hasn’t he done this before?” 

“Indeed he has..” The trapped merman responded in kind, a smirk spread across his handsome face. “But, of course, last time was not kind to him. Remember the poor sap died? It will happen again..but this time..I’ll make sure it’s more impactful.” 

“So..you’re going to go out there and kill the human yourself? You are kinda..um..trapped in there.” Matt felt Ryan punch him in the arm angrily, and he yelled in pain. He searched his arm for a bruise as their boss rolled his eyes. 

“No, but I’ll use the power of manipulation to make it so. Besides, I don’t have you two for nothing, do I?” 

The merman swayed the waters, broadcasting a vision to the two lackeys from the comfort of his prison. The vision involved Matt and Ryan kidnapping the King from his hiding place on the mainland. “I want you both to kidnap him and bring him back here. I can bribe him or threaten to take his kingdom, something weighty, and he will break me out of here. Then, we can finally work to take care of the kingdom and make everyone bow to me. How does that sound?” 

Matt and Ryan nodded, a grin spread across each of their cheeks. They loved doing missions by themselves and liked to prove their worth to the powerful merman. Matt was especially excited, for if the merman became King, then he would be higher up in the hierarchy and would live in the castle rather than the dumpy underwater apartment he currently resided in with Ryan. 

Ryan, however, was hesitant about the plan. Sure, he liked the prospect of living in the castle and enjoying it’s riches, but he was nervous about approaching Dan and trying to ‘kidnap’ him. It was no secret that Dan was more powerful than he let on, and Ryan didn’t want to be on the receiving end when Dan unleashed his powers out of anger. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” 

“It’s better than allowing me to waste away in this prison, all alone, now is it?” The trapped merman responded in anger. “Now go. I expect the King to be at my island by midnight.” 

With a slight wave, the vision was gone, and the water was now clear and absent of other listeners. The trapped merman leaned back, popping his wrists, fingers, and back before he smirked in pure glee. After twenty years, he was finally going to have freedom. He was finally going to escape and make the kingdom his. 

Mark Fischbach couldn’t wait to end King Dan’s life.


End file.
